JURASSIC PARK ~ 2011 DIGITAL RE-RELEASE

Today, another travesty is taking place as Dino-classic, Jurassic Park (1993), which has been retrofitted in 3D, is being re-released in cinemas. Like 3D or not, in my opinion, post-conversion, certainly of films which have enjoyed success in 2D, is unnecessary and pointless for all reasons except controversial ones. So, if you like Jurassic Park, enjoy it as it was meant to be seen, on a 2D screen

N.B. The following review was originally posted on the 4th March 2012. For my original review which was written back in 2010, pleaseCLICK HERE.

This is a template for how make a great action/adventure movie. Clocking in, at for what these days, a film of its type would seem to be a modest 121 mins, it divides itself into two solid halves. The first hour debates the science, the sociology and evolutionary issues of both cloning and of course, dinosaurs, whilst skillfully setting up and yet side tracking the audience into not realising who the real villains of the movie are going to be.

From the opening scene, the Velosaraptors are clearly formidable, but the film feeds on the overwhelming desire from the audience to see the T-Rex to the point of distraction. And it works, allowing a still awe-inspiring and music-less might I add, T-Rex sequence, and then giving the fourth act over the Raptors.

This film uses every minute brilliantly, maintaining a sense of pace throughout whist not bombarding us with pointless action. I do think that this film has lost some of its standing with a general audience these days, but for no other reason than the fact that is now almost 19 years old!

But even at 19, besides holding together as tight screenplay, it still has the power to bring out that sense of wonder. The moment that the group are introduced to the Brachiosaurs for the first time is still powerful today. Just the idea of being shown a living, breathing dinosaur is just amazing and Spielberg has effectively bottled that feeling of wonder.

Last September I took my 7-year-old Stepson,who is already a massive fan of the genre and indeed this film, to see this on the big screen. I had seen this three times back in 1993/1994 and seeing it again at the cinema was simply brilliant. It has defiantly lost NOTHING and I was so pleased to be able to share this with the next generation as it were.

But I was pleased on several other more technical fronts as well. Firstly, there were no alterations as we can easily expect from someone like GeorgeLucas, with Spielberg generally showing more respect for his work, with the exceptions of Close Encounters Of The Third Kind and E.T. (Special Edition)of course There was also the picture quality and the digital transfer. It was clear that the digital transfer presented in theatres would be representative of that for the then upcoming Blu-ray release and it was. There was significant grain but a strikingly sharp and beautiful image, with crystal clear sound.

The grain was great and I was glad to see it intact. This is how the film was made and how we saw films back in 1993 and that we shouldn’t forget or be cleaned up too much. The Blu-ray print is great with the grain in mind and overall they have done a fantastic job of bringing this classic back to the big screen as well as upgrading it to Hi Def.